The Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA) amended the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995. The DDA places a legal obligation on higher education institutions making it unlawful to discriminate against staff or students with a disability. Governing Bodies of Institutions can be held legally liable for any failures to abide by the Act. Individuals could also face litigation.

The Act has serious implications for those working in IT support. Awareness of the issues is important for everyone, as responsibility lies with all staff, not just employers, managers or those specialising in disability support.

Accessible ISS

ISS has actively promoted the accessibility of all services and facilities to all members of the University, employing a dedicated Disabilities Officer since 1993 and undertaking a complete DDA review of services in 2000. Our web pages and in-house developed software are designed and produced with accessibility as a primary concern, while accessibility software and tools are available on all ISS lab PCs.

Web accessibility

ISS has issued a set of guidelines for website accessibility

What to do if you have difficulty using ISS resources

While we endevour to ensure that all facilities are accessible, it is inevitable that due to the diverse nature of disabilities, some individuals may occasionally experience difficulties using ISS resouces. In such instances, please contact the ISS Service Desk (tel: 01524 510987, ext: 10987) and we will investigate how to improve the accessibility of our services.

Disabled Student's Allowance

Some students with disabilities are eligible to apply for a Disabled Student's Allowance award which may be used to fund computer equipment and software to overcome any study-related difficulties. Further details of the DSA and how to apply can be found by contacting Student Based Services in University House.

Last Updated 6th October 2010

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